Episode 6 Helicopter Heroes

When the people of rural Yorkshire dial 999,

help can be a long time coming.

The Yorkshire Dales are as beautiful as they are big.

But if you're seriously injured in a landscape as gigantic as this,

your life is on the line.

But in the remotest parts of Britain's biggest county

they look to the skies for help.

Look on your left. Can we get in that grass field on the left?

From high drama in the Peaks

to high waters in the Dales,

the Helimed team's at the heart of almost every rescue.

Bringing 21st century medicine

to some of Britain's most isolated communities

and saving lives against the odds.

Today on Helicopter Heroes.

The flood waters are rising -

and a mother and two children are in deadly danger.

We were picnicking and suddenly the river just increased in height.

Move the crowds. Move back.

High in the Dales a van driver is impaled in a freak accident.

This part here, this metal,

has gone right through his back here and out here.

Right, go for it.

And in Whitby it's the end of the pier show -

as the piano player is taken ill.

The show must go on.

Only 20,000 people live in the Yorkshire Dales.

but every year nine million visitors flood these valleys.

It means, in an emergency, local knowledge can be thin on the ground.

When the sun shines in the Yorkshire Dales the locals will tell you only one thing is certain.

That it's going to rain. And that's certainly been true today.

A series of summer thunderstorms has deluged the Dales,

and the rivers are rising.

On the banks of the River Ure a major rescue operation is underway.

The rising waters have caught out the Councell family.

They were on a day out by the river when mum Sophie,

Hattie aged eight, and six-year-old Georgie

were marooned on a pile of driftwood.

We've had heavy rainfall further up the dale. The river's become swollen

and they've become trapped by flood water.

Helimed 99 is about to join the rescue.

The family's stranded in a wooden ravine.

Pilot Andy Hall can't land here.

-Look at that little island bit there.

-Yeah.

I'm looking for a vehicle, to be honest with you.

That's going to be the closest, isn't it?

I've got two fire trucks down here as well now.

They're coming down here, so I suggest we follow this river down.

We're not going to be able to land down there anyhow.

-But if we find out where these people are. See how fast that water's swelling?

-It is quick.

-Look below me. I can't -

-There's a track. I'll land on this track here.

They're trapped on an island. There's two kids and a mother.

The water's fairly quick coming up.

-Our rescue teams are down there.

-OK.

-BURSTS OVER RADIO

These woods are popular with local walkers.

The Councells know them well, but few have seen the river rise like this.

When we've had that heavy rain Monday morning, thunderstorms,

we've had quite a lot since, and it was very dry.

And it will come down off the moors quite fast.

Paramedic Matt Syrat is trained in the dangers of fast-flowing water.

He knows the family is in great danger.

The rate of rise of the river is approximately ten centimetres per ten minutes,

-so it's rising very quick.

-Yep.

-We're going to deploy a swift water rescue team across.

-Yes.

-OK.

Sophie's keeping the kids cheerful and making light of

their perilous situation.

The children's father, Giles,

almost drowned swimming to the bank to raise the alarm.

Now all he can do is watch and hope.

We were picnicking. We had some food on the rocks.

We were just coming back in and suddenly the river just increased in height.

And we couldn't get back across.

So I took myself across that, found somebody to come down and,

rather than take the kids across there,

I just didn't think it was safe to do that, so...

An RAF rescue chopper is being scrambled from its base

at Leconfield, 60 miles away.

It's equipped with a winch that can pluck the family off the tiny island.

They'll be winched out of this area. There's no way we can get close.

I'm going to go back and highlight a safe landing area where the Sea King can relocate.

If needs be, all three of them can be transported by land from there.

This will be a tricky rescue.

Overhanging trees are getting in the way, and the winchman must make sure

he doesn't get the cable caught up in them.

-OVER RADIO

-"When we fly away, release the cable."

"We are committed at all times, Garry."

"It's quite a jump. Garry and the survivors at the half-12.

He's just briefing the survivors at the moment."

The water's still rising. There's no time to waste.

Winchman Garry Stewart must lift both children at once

if he's to have time to rescue their mum.

"The speed is good, and right. They're clear of the bushes now.

The height's good. Reduce speed. Hover when you're happy.

Go back five bites just for the remaining survivors.

The height is good.

-Two...

-All the way.

..one. Height is good. Steady. Off the ground. Steady. Back two. Height good."

The two girls are safe. Now it's time for Sophie.

The water's lapping around her feet.

-"Are you ready for lift, Garry?

-Garry's ready for lift. Roger.

Steady.

Steady. Height is good. Steady.

Winching in and move back. Bring it back.

Our two survivors on board are still happy.

Height's good. The tail's well clear."

At last the family are safe and Giles can breathe again.

It's a moment of relief for all the Emergency Services too.

Right, guys, let's get back... for a well-earned drink.

Everyone knows this rescue could've had a very different outcome

thanks to the weather that was extreme even for the Dales.

We decided to have a little paddle in the river and have a bit of a picnic in the river.

I looked at my feet and realised the water was coming up very, very quickly.

So we decided to get our stuff,

which was in the middle of the river,

and by the time we'd literally packed it up, within 30 seconds

we turned round and there was just nowhere to go.

It was so quick and so fast,

and there was just no way that I could get the girls onto any steps,

any stones, or just even get them to swim across. It was just too fast.

My husband made the decision that he was going to swim across.

And he went in but actually got taken down part of the river anyway,

it was that quick and that strong.

He got out and he was debated about whether to come back and get us.

We just said no, it's too dangerous.

It was really scary. I was worried that Georgie was going to fall

straight through the things that were wrapping you tight.

But thankfully we didn't. It was really scary.

I was worried that Mummy wasn't going to be rescued,

which was really, really scary.

For Yorkshire's other helicopter heroes

it's time to return to base. The crews of RAF Leconfield train

to carry out rescues like today's, but it's a mission winchman Garry

won't forget in a hurry.

With the smallest one, perhaps four years old, I got her a rescue strop

and I sat her on my hip, like I was carrying her through a town, if you like.

And her sister was bigger so she would've been able to be fully supported by the strop,

and it was hold on, I got her to hold on, give me a big hug, I'll give you a big hug,

and held onto the little girl and the sister got a hug at the same time.

Concentrating more strength on the little girl on the hip. I was winched 125ft up to the aircraft.

It worked well. By the time we'd recovered mum and sat her next to them,

pulling the blanket away from the kids and saying, "Look who we've got, this is your mum,"

it was all big hugs and tears. It was nice.

It was really nice to see that the kids were really happy.

You need deep pockets to live in the Yorkshire Dales.

A two-bedroom cottage will cost up to £400,000.

A four-bedroom detached could cost you a million.

Looking after well-healed residents keeps many local people in work.

And one day this summer a freak accident left one of those workers

fighting for his life.

-OVER RADIO

-"I'm giving you an update.

There's a pole embedded in our patient. He's impaled on the pole inside the vehicle."

Have you got a doctor on this?

"That's the next step. I'm thinking of mobilising 99 as well

because one other patient is unconscious."

We've had a head-on. Wet, slippery conditions.

It hasn't rained heavily for a while

so there's a build-up of debris, oil on the roads.

People brake, can't stop, bang.

Two vans have crashed and a landscape gardener is pinned in the wreckage

by a sharpened steel rod thrown forward in the impact.

Any sort of impalement, we need to leave the object in situ

and have it removed under controlled conditions in hospital.

Removing it can cause all sorts of damage,

it can cause further bleeding, it can cause further injuries,

so wherever possible it needs to be left in situ.

The accident's happened an hours drive from a major hospital

-He said it's between Middleham and Leyburn, didn't he?

-Yes, it is Middleham.

We'll find it, don't worry.

Wensleydale's part-time fire-fighters are trying to reach the drivers.

The accident has blocked the main road through the dale.

-Where we going?

-This one low left. 11 o'clock now.

As you can see, this is quite a difficult rescue.

We've got one casualty severely trapped in his vehicle

who is showing signs of actually going downhill in terms of

his condition, so we're having to make sure we keep our activity up

and work simultaneously on both vehicles, with the priority being

the gentleman who's been impaled in the red van here.

Pete is joining local paramedics, who've been by gardener Steven's side

since soon after the crash. He's badly hurt.

-All right, Colin, are you all right? I'm Pete.

-HE GROANS

Steven.

Two minutes, boss,

and we'll be looking to see where we can move you.

-Is that because you feel like your chest's squashed?

-Yes.

-All right. As soon as we can have a look here.

This bar here,

this piece of metal has gone right through his back here and out here.

It's a through and through job.

The patient's talking to us but obviously it's a difficult extraction

because we have to handle this bar and get the angle grinder out, so...

We've got two patients. One's impaled in this other car,

this chap here I'm waiting to get a hand on from the paramedic.

Because of the impalement we've got a doctor coming from a different service to help.

It'll take while to get him out and will be a difficult distraction.

-You can see all the ambulances in the 11 o'clock.

-Roger.

Yorkshire's second Air Ambulance has been sent to join the rescue.

On the ground, fire-fighters are planning Steven's release.

Plan A is clearly to chop a bit of the cab off

and chop the bottom of the seat away.

Looking good on my left.

The Helimed team's usual chopper has broken down

so it's using a hired helicopter.

Paramedic Sammy Wills is about to join the rescue.

DRILL WHIRS

We can't be sure of how much he's bleeding

so we need to maintain his blood pressure. We're drawing fluids up to do that.

999 on the ground, over?

Sammy will take over the care of delivery driver Mike Dudley.

That pole is now up against the side of the van.

He's moving out further than he was so this pole is pushed up against the side.

The pole passed through the driver's seat before entering Steven's back.

Stabilising the patient so we can get him out,

but obviously the object that's impaling him in there

is going to need cutting before we can do that. We're in a very precarious position.

We've almost extricated him,

then we can only really fully examine the extent of his injuries once he's out.

Steven, keep still one minute.

The team knows any movement could worsen Steve's injuries.

We have another Air Ambulance on its way from Teesside.

They have a doctor on board which will be beneficial for that patient.

In fact, I can just hear him now just arriving.

The plan is for the doctor to give Steven a large dose of the painkiller ketamine

before trying to cut through the pole.

Meanwhile, Sammy's reached the other driver.

-Hello, sir. My name's Sammy, I'm one of the paramedics.

-OK.

-Take a deep breath for me. Good lad. Does that cause any extra pain?

-No.

No? Fantastic. When did you last have anything to eat or drink, Mike?

At least delivery man Mike's air bag did its job.

His injuries appear less serious.

Just 2.5 to start him off with. Have you ever had morphine before, sir?

The Fire Brigade has its own problems.

Its usual cutting equipment isn't up to the delicate task

of cutting the pole.

We've got angle grinders which we can use in these circumstances,

but it's not ideal when you've got a casualty impaled on an iron bar.

We're taking every step to make sure the casualty is kept safe

and that we try and minimise any impact on the casualty.

We've just giving him the drug. He's just putting it through the drip.

The doctor's going to come and have a chat and see what the plan of action is from there

as regards getting him out with minimum movement where that pole is.

-What's his name?

-Steven.

Steven, it's Matthew, a doctor. I'm going to have a feel down your spine.

The Great North Air Ambulance's doctor will take over Steven's care.

He's been given a drug to reduce internal bleeding.

A large dose of ketamine will mean Steven won't feel or remember

the operation to cut the pole.

It's time to free their patient.

I think he's going to pop in some ketamine in first so just hang fire.

Right, go for it.

Steven's predicament would be serious on the doorstep

of a big city trauma unit.

Out here in the Dales, his survival is still in real doubt.

The unique landscape of the Dales was created by water

carving its way through the soft rocks of these hills.

Now, after millions of years,

it's created a secret world deep beneath the countryside.

Hundreds of miles of subterranean potholes honeycomb the Dales.

And caving is a popular sport here.

Some passages stretch 20 miles or more.

OK, our target's just a couple of K west of Kettlewell.

-It looks a bit on the hilly side.

-It does.

We've got ten miles to run.

Today, paramedics Darren and Tony are off to one of the hilliest parts

of the Yorkshire Dales.

-They're close are these contours here, aren't they?

-Yep.

-I can't see a flat spot.

-Oh, we'll find one, guys. Don't worry.

We're now en route to Kettlewell,

which is the Yorkshires Dales National Park.

We've got somebody there that's fallen. Query, got a neck injury.

They're miles from a main road and we're going to utilise the helicopter

and what it's good at, and try to get as close to the casualty as we can as quick as we can.

But first they've got to find him.

I've got a walker on that path running parallel, out to the right.

And that's proving difficult, both in the air and on the ground.

Have you got any more information regarding whether this patient's

down near the river or on the hillside, over?

-"Negative."

-Ah, hang on. We've got somebody with a marker panel here.

I'm just going to come round to the left, guys.

Yeah, Roger. We think we've found the patient.

We're just going to make an approach, try and land up.

I'm not sure what the slope's gonna be like.

-Probably not the best. I tell you what, I'll drop you off.

-Roger.

And then maybe I'll find something a little bit flatter further down.

Now then, what's been happening?

The patient's a soldier on an adventure training course.

-We've gone in, walked back out.

-Yep.

30 metres from the exit was about a two-foot step down that Ross missed.

OK. So do you remember what you've done today?

-Yeah.

-You do? There are no blank areas in that?

-No.

-None.

OK, so you just tell me now where's your pain?

-The right side of my neck.

-Right side.

Unable to land on the steep hillside, pilot Chris and Tony

can only wait for an update from Darren.

-It's a cave.

-I'm just wondering what they're doing in their onesies.

Ross Parrott's a Physical Training Instructor for the army.

And he'd almost finished a tough underground challenge when he fell.

As part of the exercise we were leaving a cave with very little light,

just some glow sticks, so we've got to communicate and guide each other through.

Ross was at the front, was heading off.

And about 30 metres from the cave entrance he's seen daylight,

and thought, "Yes, I've made it," and missed the step.

He fell about two foot down a step, landed, rolled, and banged his head

on the step opposite.

You've had your bell rung. You might have been knocked out.

We're not going to take any chances.

Ross has managed to walk from where he fell, although he could still have done serious damage to his back.

We're going to immobilise you.

So my colleague here behind you is supporting your neck.

-What we're going to do is get you a collar.

-Yes.

Then we're going to put you onto a board

and take you off to hospital.

One in four British soldiers comes from the North of England,

and almost of all servicemen train in the Yorkshire Dales.

-Argh! Don't turn it that way.

-I'm not. I'm keeping it still.

I need to fasten it. I know it's uncomfortable and I'm sorry. It's got to go on.

Ross, what we're going to do is lay you flat backwards, yeah?

Then we're going to physically lift you up off the ground.

Ross's colleagues are all medically trained.

They know there's a risk he's injured his neck.

Somebody want to come in and take his shoulder?

Ready, steady, lift. Lift, guys.

-Super.

-Let's go straight down towards the helicopter.

-It's the smoothest bit, isn't it?

-Left.

-Yeah.

Yeah, and we'll move the ambulance.

But Ross is young and fit. Darren's decided he doesn't need a flight

to the trauma unit 30 miles away.

He'll go by road to the local hospital instead.

-He's banged his head on this side. No C-spine.

-Yep.

Been knocked out for a couple of seconds, he thinks, but remembers everything.

His injuries aren't life-threatening. He's mobilised over 1,000m to get to this point.

He's obviously in some discomfort in his head and his neck area.

Ultimately an X-ray will prove otherwise.

But he's going to be transferred by ground ambulance

to the nearest available emergency department, which will be Airedale.

But first there's another team building challenge for his mates to overcome.

We're coming to this gate section here.

Start feeding him forward. Don't try and climb over with him.

-Have you got it?

-Are you going to be OK here?

-Keep going.

-OK.

-Keep feeding him, keep feeding him.

Have you got a piece?

Some of us work in a gym, some of us take ATL. It's just about getting the lads doing something different.

Right near the end, obviously, Ross had a slip. It happens, doesn't it?

Everybody worked together and helped everybody, so we got him out.

He's hungry and fed up.

But he's all right, you know?

They'd all come here for a challenge, but none expected their adventure day

to end like this. Ross is on his way to the local A & E,

but it's clear his rescue was made easier by the sort of teamwork

they'd all come here to practice. It's been hard work.

In this kind of weather, it's about 24, 26 degrees today, it's hot work

and we're all rather warm.

As you can see, I'm sweating like Batman in a roof full of Catwomen,

so it's never going to be good.

The good news is Ross's injuries are minor,

and he's back in uniform and on duty a few days later.

For the people who live here,

the isolation of the Yorkshire Dales is what makes this place special,

but for one of Wensleydale's residents,

the distance to a major hospital could threaten his life.

The road through Yorkshire's most famous dale is blocked.

Steven, are you all right, mate? Do you know what happened to you?

Fire-fighters are trying to cut through the steel pole

trapping gardener Steven in his van.

The freak accident left motorists

who came across the wreckage badly shocked.

He was crushed up against the steering wheel, and in his back, right-hand side,

there was a bar sticking into his back,

so obviously we didn't want to move any doors to injure him even more.

And I was trying to reassure the gentleman, as he was regaining consciousness,

trying not to get him to move because he had this bar in his back.

The driver of the other van has now been freed.

Mike Dudley is now on his way

to James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough.

Separated from the load in the back of his vehicle,

his injuries are less serious.

56-year-old male on a transit van, head-on impact,

movement sensation of all four limbs.

Chest is clear.

For ten minutes fire-fighters have been using an angle grinder

to sever the pole that impaled Steven.

The Helimed team and a flying doctor are carefully monitoring his condition.

The bar's through. It's free.

Now, at last, it's time to move him.

Now let's take him by his armpits, back onto the spinal board

and get him out of there.

But Steven's gardening boots are a problem.

Can someone get this lower leg as we come out? We've got fractures.

As soon as you take his weight I'll move his left leg,

but if I move it he starts to slip down.

The team knows the spike is millimetres from his spine and

could be piercing internal organs.

This must be done very carefully.

Keep coming, keep coming, keep coming to me. Stop.

Finally Steven is free. The other driver is already airborne.

He'll be in hospital in 15 minutes.

-Heading for James Cook.

-OK, we've got you on this route.

-Thank you.

A foot-long section of the pole which he used to uproot trees

is still embedded in Steven's back.

It will remain there until surgeons can remove it.

Steven's been sedated.

Now flying doctor Matt Cheeseman plans to anaesthetise him

here at the roadside.

Knock him under completely, then we'll breathe for him,

put him on the ventilator, and then we'll fly him into hospital.

We've got a good tailwind to get him to hospital so it shouldn't take too long.

Only now can the team examine him properly for other injuries.

We're just obviously, where his legs were trapped,

we've got some lower fractures. It wasn't something that was a major concern

while he was actually trapped. Now we've got him out and got a bit of spare time,

the doctor's put him to sleep, we can evaluate any other injuries.

Steven's chest was crushed in the impact. His lungs have collapsed.

Now he's unconscious, Dr Matt makes incisions in the side of his chest

to help him breathe.

Not good injuries. There's a lot of trauma gone on there.

He's got head injuries, chest injuries

and this impalement to his abdomen. It's a triple whammy, really.

30 miles away, the trauma team at James Cook hospital

is already receiving the other victim of the smash.

Mike Dudley's van was fitted with airbags,

and despite experiencing the same impact as Steven,

he appears to be in much better shape.

-OK, ready, steady, slide.

-Have you got the weight? Perfect.

He's the first of two patients the Middlesbrough team are expecting.

We did give them the option of splitting,

but our gentleman doesn't appear severely injured at this time

so they're happy to accept both.

Back in the Dales, Steven is almost ready for takeoff.

We should come clear shortly. We're giving them a hand with the RSI.

They're about to transport to their aircraft.

The Great North Air Ambulance doctor will be carefully monitoring him during his flight.

Now he's in a position where he's ventilated, so he's at rest, really,

so he'll be getting oxygenated fully,

and once they get to hospital they'll be able to do all the tests

without having the problems of him thrashing around

or being in pain at all.

It's always difficult with any impalement,

but with the fire service, the ambulance crews that were here

and our colleagues on Great North, although it was an awful event,

it was done as quickly as it could have been done.

Obviously now he's off to hospital

and hopefully he'll be in the right place to make a recovery.

But we just don't know how far that pole was into his body

or what damage it's caused him,

so really, until he's had further tests, we've no idea.

It's five hours since the smash, and back at their airbase in North Yorkshire,

the paramedics are anxious for news of Steven.

The problems we were having on the scene, maintaining blood pressure, were due to the fact he'd injured

both his liver and spleen, which will bleed quite profusely when injured.

He's in a stable condition as we speak.

But also the sort of entry point of the bar going in

had wedged between his lumber spine and also the pelvis,

so I think it's been quite a grapple for them as well

to actually remove that in theatre.

The surgical removal of the spike is only the start of

a series of operations Steven must endure

if he's to return to the Dales. His condition remains critical.

It's high summer, and a heatwave is bringing a touch of

the Mediterranean to the Yorkshire coast,

and thousands of day trippers are out enjoying it.

Here in historic Whitby,

a day at the seaside comes with a dash of history thrown in.

After all, Captain Cook sailed from this harbour,

and Dracula was washed up in a storm, or so the story has it.

Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another Tuesday shindig.

Another bit of the town's heritage is alive and well.

In the Royal Hall each afternoon it's strictly ballroom

with keyboard wizard Ray Kirk.

The flying paramedics have to be quick on their toes too,

especially when there's a patient with a suspected heart attack.

It sounds like a theatre or something on the seafront,

which is unusual for us because it's quite a built-up area.

The ambulance is over an hour away so that's why we've been deployed.

It could be a heart attack. If it proves to be that we take him to the James Cook.

In the pavilion, the music has stopped.

Whitby's keyboard maestro has been taken ill.

But Helimed 98 doesn't have the skies to itself today -

and the local seagulls can weigh nearly two kilos.

Birds. That impacted.

Anywhere nice? Just now, wasn't it?

I think it was on the head.

Bird strikes can be catastrophic.

But pilot Ian thinks it may only have been a swift.

-Everybody happy?

-Yeah.

-We'll carry on. I'll have a look.

Only when they land will they be able to check just how much damage this mid-air collision has caused.

Can you just write on the flight plan 17:34, please?

-1,500 feet.

-What, when you hit it?

-Yeah.

I thought that one was gonna go round us.

It looks like where the start of the pier is.

It's just to the left-hand side of that.

Oh, ambulance responder. Low three o'clock, two o'clock,

right on the seafront here.

-Next to the crazy golf.

-Next to the crazy golf.

-Yes. Keep on the left-hand side, mate.

-Thank you.

Passing through nine o'clock now.

I've got a lamppost over on the right, in the centre of the field.

The bird's hit a critical part of the chopper's rotor blades

at 150 miles an hour.

But amazingly it's caused little damage.

After his mid-air scare, paramedic Graham is now free to examine his patient.

The pain was down there and at the back.

I couldn't tell whether it was the front.

-It came on while I was on stage playing music.

-Right.

-And I was perched on the edge of the stool.

-Extreme stage fright.

Yeah, yeah. And it was so bad I nearly stopped, but I thought, "No, I've got to keep it going."

How far away's the ambulance, mate?

I was playing on stage for the dancers and

I started to develop this pain. I tried to be professional.

I didn't want to just come off so I kept it going.

I was trying to clear my equipment off stage

cos I have to move everything off,

and it just got to a point where I just couldn't do it.

I just couldn't stand. The pain was so bad I felt dizzy.

At one stage I felt I didn't quite know where I was.

Although it's painful, it seems Ray may be having trouble with kidney stones rather than his heart.

He's not got chest pain, as we were led to believe initially. He's got renal pain, in his kidneys.

He's got a history of kidney stones, so it sounds like he's had another stone that's passed through

whilst he's been on stage. The ambulance is 20 minutes away,

but he's stable enough to wait for it to take him to the local hospital,

rather than us dragging him off to another hospital.

But Graham's impressed with Ray's professionalism

and his determination to finish his afternoon performance.

The show must go on.

So yeah, all great to him I suppose.

Ray has no idea of the drama the Helimed team experienced

responding to his 999 call.

-They've had a bird strike.

-Have they had a bird strike?

-Today.

Pilot Ian Mousette's happy Helimed 98 is safe to fly,

so the team's heading back to base as its patient leaves for hospital.

But it takes a lot to keep an old trouper like Ray off stage.

One or two said, "Are you going back today?" I said, "Of course." There's no reason why not.

So I'm here.

They found it was a kidney stone trapped in the urinary channel.

Excruciatingly painful but not necessarily life-threatening.

I was given morphine and sent home.

Apart from feeling a little frail since, I've been OK.

A couple of tunes. I Got Rhythm and Shall We Dance?

And now he's got a new plan to put his musical talents to good use.

After last week, I intend to promote a charity gig

in aid of the Air Ambulance.

It won't pay for them putting that machine in the air last week I'm sure,

but if makes a few hundred quid, give a little bit back for them.

Summer here in Yorkshire is country show season.

The chance for locals to meet and compete.

Today it's the Kilnsey Show,

said to be the biggest one-day agricultural show in the country.

Around 15,000 people have descended on this small Dales village.

They've got everything, from jam-making competitions

to cross-country races across the fells.

But for one young competitor in a riding competition

it's ended badly - and she needs help from the Helimed team.

We believe a nine-year-old girl

has fallen from a horse and sustained a neck injury.

This is an actual show, is it?

-Yeah, the Kilnsey Show is on today.

-Yeah.

-It shows everything,

-including cake stands, coffee.

-Ah.

-Burgers.

-Always thinking with your belly.

No, I'm not. I'm thinking of the patient's needs.

The thing with kiddies you've got to watch out for, they will compensate right up until the last minute

and then maybe take a turn for the worse.

-OVER RADIO

-"There should be a landing I've prepared for you

by the crag where the private ambulance is with its flashing lights on."

Just be careful of them wires. I've got wires running parallel.

I've got nothing in the field where they are.

Hi, there. How are you doing? All right?

She came off the horse on this field and was walked to us by a parent.

Only when they got to us were they then complaining of upper C-spine.

-Did anybody see her fall?

-No. They said she landed on her side.

This show site is huge.

You grab that board, Sammy.

And unfortunately the helicopter's landed at one end of the show

while their patient is at the other.

We've had reports that there's 19,000 expected at this today.

It's the biggest one-day county show in the country.

The plan is we're getting a lovely lift

by this gentleman to the patient.

Unfortunately, due the number of animals and tents,

we've landed in a field identified to remain safe for us and the crowd.

And we're being taken to the casualty, who is on site.

Hello. Are you all right?

-She was riding her horse, it threw her off, but it threw her off to the side.

-OK.

When she landed she actually went on this side, and she said, you can feel a tiny bit of swelling,

-she said she felt as though it felt like cracked.

-OK.

She was just doing a nice round of the jumps and she got to number five,

and it was a water tray, and Richard, that's the pony,

didn't like that water tray, and he stopped and she tumbled off.

Being able to talk to patients on their own level

is a key skill for paramedics.

Sarah, how are you doing? OK?

Fortunately Matt has a daughter the same age as Sarah.

Sarah, were you in a competition today?

-Was that what you were doing?

-Yeah.

Yeah?

How does your neck feel? Can you tell me? Can you describe it?

-Hurting.

-Hurting? Just on which side? This side?

-Yeah.

Down this or down the back?

Just down the side?

With symptoms like this,

there's real concern Sarah could've broken her back.

We'll take you in our helicopter, we'll take you to hospital.

-What I need to do is lay you down on a board. Is that OK?

-Yes.

Stay relaxed, nice and still,

we'll do all the work. All right? OK.

Ready, steady, lift.

SHE GROANS

-It's hurting.

-Which bit, darling?

-My left-hand side.

-Which one? That side?

-Yes.

-All right.

-A slight swelling just there.

-OK. No problem.

This valley's other claim to fame is

that it's home to some of the best climbing in the Dales.

And now the local Mountain Rescue team has turned out to help.

Hey up, it's Matthew, one of the Air Ambulance paramedics.

I've got a nine-year-old female that's fallen from a horse

out in Grassington, so we're quite a way away.

I'm just a bit concerned. She's fallen off the horse onto her side,

and her head's hit the floor and they've heard a crack.

Nine-year-old female. Going to LGI.

-Mummy's here.

-Keep coming, keep coming. OK, lovely.

It does get quite noisy but it's nothing to worry about.

-I get scared of loud noises.

-Loud noises, do you?

These blocks should cover a lot of it.

But, look, if you move your eyes, try not to move,

-can you see my hand here?

-Yes.

That's where I'll be sat.

Sarah's mum knows all this is a precaution,

but she's still worried about what they might find at hospital.

It didn't particularly look a bad fall. It was quite slow motion really.

But unfortunately she's landed on her neck. She did get back up OK

and sat back on him.

Within minutes the rural Dales have given way to urban Leeds

and the city centre hospital where Sarah's now arrived to be checked out.

The pain's got worse and so that's why we went to see the doctor

and here we are.

But here at the hospital there's good news.

X-rays show her spine is intact

and she's actually escaped with a few bruises.

Sarah's keen now to get back on her pony,

ready to compete at next year's show.

Back in the Dales there's more good news for another of the Helimed team's patients.

It's three months since gardener Steven Carr was impaled on an iron rod

in a freak accident near the town of Middleham.

Now, at last, he's home.

A fractured wrist, a broken wrist,

a broken knee and lower leg,

a broken pelvis,

fractures all down my left side.

All my ribs were fractured down my left side.

Steven was on his way to work when the accident happened

on a bend on the main road through Wensleydale.

He was in intensive care for weeks.

The metal bar that I use for getting tree roots out of the ground,

and that actually came through the back of my seat

and actually impaled me. It went straight through my back

and it missed my spine by less than a millimetre.

Which was a serious injury.

When Steven arrived in theatre at James Cook hospital,

six inches of the rod was protruding from his back.

It was up to surgeons to release it.

Craig White was one of them.

This is his hip joint and his pelvis.

And this bar here was into his low back.

We can get very excited about a metal bar cos you don't see if very often,

but Steven actually had a major head injury, he had an injury to his chest.

He had a major pelvic injury. He had three or four big long bone fractures as well.

So his overall risk of not making it through this,

even if he hadn't had the bar there,

would have been significant in itself.

Right, go for it. Grind away.

Steven has few memories of the massive operation to release him,

and he was unconscious for the whole of his flight to hospital,

but he knows what was probably responsible for his survival.

I really don't think I would've been here if it hadn't of been for the Air Ambulance

and all the help that I received off them

when the accident actually took place

and the speed they actually got me to the hospital.

Because with living in a rural area like we do,

I just can't thank them for what they did for me. It's quite amazing.

Steven's been warned his recovery will be long,

but in the racing town of Middleham where he lives,

he's now well-known as the man who beat the odds to survive an accident

that came within millimetres of killing him.

And I'm pleased to say Steven's continuing to make a good recovery

and plans to be back at work in the garden next spring.